What to Know about Acupuncture During Ovarian Cancer Treatment
- Acupuncture can help alleviate many of the side effects associated with ovarian cancer treatment, including nausea, fatigue, and neuropathy
- Acupuncture is what’s called an “integrative medicine” technique, and should not be viewed as an alternative to your doctor-prescribed treatment plan
- Licensed acupuncturists with special certificates in oncology acupuncture are trained to consider certain safety measures that are unique to people going through cancer treatment
Its nice to see hard data for an ancient Chines practice that many people have embraced. During the course of treatment for ovarian cancer, an integrative medicine technique called acupuncture, which involves inserting fine needles at certain established pressure points, can help women manage the side effects of their treatment. According to
Dr. Mari Galle, a licensed oncology acupuncturist with Cancer Rehab & Integrative Medicine in Austin, Texas, a growing body of research has shown that acupuncture can be helpful for mitigating a number of different treatment side effects, including:
- Nausea
- Energy levels
- Neuropathy, which is a tingling or loss of feeling in the fingers and toes
“There’s constantly ongoing research being done right now,” Dr. Galle adds. “So as a field, we used evidence-based medicine, which means that we’re using research to plan our treatments.”
Read More Importantly, Dr. Galle explains that, as an integrative medicine, acupuncture should not be viewed as a substitute for what your team of oncologists prescribes. “Integrative medicine is not an alternative to modern and traditional medicine,” says Dr. Galle. “It is in addition of.” What this means, Dr. Galle says, is that a licensed oncology acupuncturist works with you oncology team to make sure all of your side effects and symptoms and other concerns are addressed while you’re going through treatment. When it comes to acupuncture, it’s really important to make sure that you’re seeking treatment from someone who is properly trained. When you visit an acupuncturists’ website, Dr. Galle recommends keeping an eye out for credentials that specifically indicate that someone has taken courses in oncology acupuncture. There are several recognized and well-regarded courses, including one from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. You might also look out for something called the International Oncology Acupuncture Certificate.
“These are trainings that it’s really best to have done when working with oncology patients because there are things to look out for — like making sure that your blood count is OK and your platelets are high enough to get acupuncture,” she says. “Just for safety measures for you, it’s best to look for that.”
Having said that, Dr. Galle does point out that any acupuncturist in the United States that has a license has taken all four national board exams and has completed a master’s level of education in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.
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